Potato digger



July 15, 1941. F. P. NoFFslNGER 2,249,394

POTATO DIGGER Filed Feb. 5, 1940 INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1941 .faire sini".

POTATO BIGGER Fred P. Notsingen Greeley, Colo. i Application February 5, 1940, Serial No. 317,254

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a potato digger and has for its principal object the provision of a digger which will not bruise or damage the potatoes.

In the usual potato digger, the digging shovel brings the potatoes up against a revolving chain which lifts them from the shovel and transports them rearwardly. This chain travels at relatively high `speed and, when it strikes the potatoes in an endeavor to lift them onto the chain, it breaks and bruises thejackets.

In this invention, the potatoes are not lifted by the revolving chain but are deposited on the chain in an earth cushion so that the damage to the potatoes usually occasioned by the chain bars is entirely eliminated.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means which will prevent the potato vines from catching, clogging, or dragging on the conveyor; and to provide means whereby the shaking mechanism of the elevating chain need not be used when not required to still further reduce potato damage.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing 'and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved potato digger with the near wheel removed, taken on the line I-I, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the potato digger with the invention embodied therein.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the digging shovel.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged 4 4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the press roll for forming a receiving bed for the dug potatoes.

The improved digger employs a continuous xed frame I9 extending forwardly and terminating in a suitable tractor hitch II. The rear extremity of the frame I0 is carried on an axle I2 extending between ground engaging wheels I3. After the tractor hitch has been secured to the tractor in its desired position, the frame Ill is rigidly maintained in a xed position.

A hinged conveyor frame I4 is pivoted on the axle I2 and extends forwardly therefrom. The

section, taken on the line inwardly at their tops. Positioned above and forward of the bottom front extremity of the conveyorV frame is sup ported at each side on 'a link I5. The links I5 extend downwardly from levers I3, secured to a illustrated, it is to be driven from the usual power take-ofi' of a tractor, through the medium of a stub shaft 24, universal joint 25 and transmission 26. The transmission drives a transmission shaft which transmits power to the sprocket shaft 23 through the medium of a drive chain 21. Y

The conveyor is supported throughout its length upon suitable idler sprockets 28. The idler sprocket 29, beneath the elevating reach of the chain is mounted on a tilting lever 29', on the other extremity of which, is an eccentric sprocket 3E). By tilting the lever 29', either the concentric sprocket 29 or the eccentric sprocket 3U can be brought beneath the chain. Should the digger be used in sandy soils where there are no clods to be removed from the potatoes, the concentric sprocket 29 is used. In cloddy soil, the eccentric sprocket 30'is used to vibrate the chain and shake the elods from the potatoes.

Throughout its length the conveyor frame is `provided with hopper sides 3I at the forward ex-v tremity of each of which 32. 'Ihe gathering rolls 32 are driven by means of suitable belts 33 from the extremities of an idler sprocket shaft 34 so that they will rotate is a vine gathering roll extremity of the bar chain is a roller 35 having wide end flanges 36. 'I'his roller extends the full width of a conveyor frame and the end lflanges thereof align with the hopper sides 3| of the conveyor. Y

Immediately ahead of the roller 35 is the ,usual digging shovel 31. It will be noted that the upper surface of the shovel 31 vapproaches the top of the roller 35 and that the roller 35 is above the lower extremity of the conveyor chain 23.

In use, the conveyor frame is lowered by means of the lever I8 until the shovel will pass below the potatoes in the ground. The potatoes and,

the surrounding soil are elevated by the shovel and passed onto the roller 35. The rearward movement of the roller passes them backwardly onto the conveyor chain in a cushion of earth so that they are not damaged in any way. The earth then falls back through the open bars of the chain leaving the potatoes thereon. Any potato vines which may be on the shovel are gathered by the rearwardly rotating anges 36 on the roller. Exceedingly long or wide spread vines may pass rearwardly onto the gathering rolls 32 which will roll them inward onto the conveyor.

One of the principal features of this invention is that the potatoes after leaving the shovel do not strike the conveyor chain until they have been elevated above the chain, so that they cannot be damaged by the bars traveling over the forward sprockets.

A relatively heavy press roll 38 is hingedly suspended from the axles of the wheels I3 by means of suitable draw bars 39 to roll a smooth bed for receiving the potatoes from the rear discharge extremity of the bar chain. This roller is enlarged at its middle in order to form a channellike bed into which the potatoes are deposited and covered by the vines in order to protect them from the sun and weather.

While a specic form oi the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a potato digger having a traveling bar chain and a shovel for digging the potatoes ahead of said chain, a roller; means for supporting said roller transversely of said chain between said shovel and the forward extremity of said chain and above the upper surface of the latter; an end ange at each extremity of said roller, said flanges being in substantial alignment with the side edges of said chain; and means for rotating said roller rearwardly.

2. In a potato digger having a traveling bar chain and a shovel for digging the potatoes ahead of said chain, a roller; means forl supporting said roller transversely of said chain between said shovel and the forward extremity of said chain and above the upper surface of the latter; and a roller lying parallel to the axis of said chain at each side thereof, said latter rollers extending upwardly and rearwardly from the extremities of the rst roller.

3. In a potato digger having a traveling bar chain and a shovel for digging the potatoes ahead of said chain, a roller; means for supporting said roller transversely of said chain between said shovel and the forward extremity of said chain and above the upper surface of the latter; a roller lying parallel to the axis of said chain at each side thereof, said latter rollers extending upwardly and rearwardly fromthe extremities of the iirst roller; and means for positively rotating all of said rollers so that their upper surfaces will move toward said chain.

. FRED P. NOFFSINGER. 

